VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Early voters are packing polling places across Hampton Roads, with some lining up hours before doors open for the day. Still, despite the strong crowds, early voting numbers are down in Virginia compared to the pace set in the 2020 election.
At the Kempsville Area Library on Monday morning, more than 100 people lined up before it opened to early voters. Many brought out lawn chairs, blankets and snacks for the occasion. It was a sight akin to a Black Friday shopping event.
“Yeah, I got the donuts and the protein shakes and the water in the bag down here,” Linda Guyer said.
One man tried to vote on Saturday, but was deterred by the long lines. Poll staff told 10 On Your Side that they processed 1,368 early voters on that day alone. So Vernon Davis Jr. decided to come back early Monday. He made sure was ahead of the pack.
“I got here about 5:30 this morning,” Davis Jr. said. “I felt successful. What I did not anticipate was there to only be seven of us by 8 a.m.”
Many of the voters we spoke to feel it is crucial that they make their voices heard.
“Seventy years ago, many folks didn’t have the privilege or the right to vote,” Davis Jr. said. “I have that right now. Many of us do, … and I feel like I’ll be doing my family, those that came before me and my neighbors a disservice if I didn’t exercise the right to vote.”
“That’s everybody’s right,” William Guyer said. “They should do it. If they don’t do it, they ain’t got nothing to say about what happens.”
When doors opened, we saw a constant line going out of the building as more people piled in. It was a strong turnout for just one morning of early voting. Despite this, early voting numbers in Virginia still trail behind its 2020 numbers — by about 20%.
According to the Virginia Public Access Project, as of nine days to election day, Virginia processed 1,569,200 early ballots. At that point in the 2020 election, Virginia processed 1,957,200 early ballots. For Virginia Beach, the most populated city in the Commonwealth, 65,993 early ballots have been processed so far, compared to 85,653 at this point in the 2020 race.
Kempsville Satellite Chief Mike Ware said they are preparing for a gradual increase in early voter turnout as we inch closer to election day.
“We’re going to make sure we have more outside polling places out here,” he said. “Constantly add paper. We called it fluffing the paper because the humidity was in there and some of them would stick and then you’d get little marks on them. But that was our only real hang up.”
Early voting in Virginia runs until Nov. 2. Early polling sites open at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Anyone who gets in line before polls close will be able to vote.